Recent content by 2003miata

It's a little ironic that I saw your post this evening. I just got back from my post operative checkup with my surgeon following my second OHS. My first was in November 2011 (at age 59) for aortic valve replacement. Last fall I was told my aortic root was enlarged and needed to be monitored...

I made the choice to go with an ON-X valve for my AVR last year - don't regret it a bit. Warfarin has not been an issue, nor the ticking (it's actually kind of nice, I can take my pulse without feeling for a pulse). One bit of advice - discuss the ON-X valve with your surgeon and cardiologist...

My heart rate is consistently in the low 50s at rest since my AVR last November. Prior to surgery, it was about the same. The low heart rate has not been an issue either at rest or during exercise. My understanding is that as long as you do not have problems with lightheadedness or loss of...

I had a pretty uneventful recovery at home after my surgery. My wife stayed with me full time, but I think I could have managed by myself, except for one thing - if I tipped all the way back in my recliner, I couldn't sit up without using my arms to pull myself to a sitting position (I had to...

I had AVR 9 months ago and still have a numb area on the inside of my left knee that started immediately after my surgery. There were no incisions in the area, so I assume it's related to some nerves in my chest. I also have a numb area on my right wrist that is probably more related to ulnar...

I had my AVR last November and rehab was one of the best decisions I made. For me, it wasn't so much about the exercises that the rehab team had me doing, it much more about developing the confidence that I could exercise again after OHS. Looking back, my experience with intensity of exercise...

I had AVR at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady last November and can't say enough good things about the treatment I received there. I don't know if any of their surgeons do minimally invasive surgery (I got the full chest cracking experience), but I would recommend you check with them if you want...

I never smoked - when I was much younger, I used to listen to my Dad cough in the mornings and decided nothing could be worse than that. He died much too young at 74 from emphysema. This wasn't meant to be a lecture - I really wanted to tell my Dad's favorite joke (humor makes anything - even...

I have always been a stomach sleeper too. After my surgery, I spent about three weeks sleeping in my recliner, then moved to my bed (using a wedge pillow for about a week). Before my surgery, I would fall asleep on my stomach and wake up on my back. Now I fall asleep on my back and wake up...

2003miata 59 mechanical

I'm only 13 weeks post AVR surgery, but I can't say I've had any indication of "pumphead". For another point of view on the subject, here's another interesting article from Scientific American: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=disease-may-cause-pumphead

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth.” ― William W. Purkey

- How routine OHS is to a cardio-thorasic surgeon. - How quickly I recovered my strength (I'm eleven weeks post op and have much more stamina than before the surgery) - How many people are in the cardiac rehab facility every time I go. - The flush of emotions when I said good bye to my family...

Most of my memories of the CICU are pretty foggy. I went under about 7:30 am and first memory was about 6 PM when they removed the breathing tube. The rest of the night, I was in and out of sleep. No memories of pain, but I do remember a very good nurse who always seemed to be there. The...

From the time my primary care physician told me I needed to see a cardiologist to the time of my surgery was 3 months. I went to an annual physical unaware of any problems and 3 months later was having OHS (11 weeks ago today). I made the decision based on the amount of ventricular hypertrophy...